Final answer:
The Second Continental Congress formed the Continental Army in May 1775 with George Washington as commander-in-chief. The army significantly strengthened, especially the infantry units, with rigorous training by Prussian soldier Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. His drill manual shaped American military practices for decades.
Step-by-step explanation:
In May 1775, the Second Continental Congress convened and approved the formation of the professional Continental Army. George Washington, appointed as the commander-in-chief, led this initiative. At first, the majority of the Patriots' armed forces comprised militias, who went home after the summer fighting season, causing a massive shrink in the army's strength. However, the cavalry arrived in the shape of Prussian soldier Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben in February 1778. Von Steuben, an experienced military officer, introduced a rigorous training regime for Washington's somewhat ragtag troops, transforming them into a force capable of holding their own against professional British and Hessian soldiers. His drill manual—Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States—shaped military practices in the United States for succeeding decades. The six companies of expert riflemen in Pennsylvania, along with two in Maryland and two in Virginia, constituted the significant early infantry units of this newly established army.
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